J'Marcus Webb is clearly not in the Bears' plans for this year or the future, so it's time for them to try to get some value for their young former starting left tackle.
After two consecutive strong performances by rookie Jordan Mills, it's clear he is the present and the future for the Bears at right tackle. Veteran Jonathan Scott also appears to be a lock for a roster spot as most of his base salary is guaranteed this year, according to Spotrac.
That leaves the Bears with four tackles when they'll likely only dress three.
Webb is a better player than Scott. To be fair, he didn't really get a fair shake as a starter at right tackle. In his first game at a new position, he gave up a sack to a player who has 33 sacks over the last three years, but that was enough to get him benched.
Webb's early struggles on the right side were predictable. His mechanics were a work in progress on the left side. Switching him over meant he had to do everything opposite. One would expect that transition to take time for anyone, much less a fundamentally flawed player like Webb.
Fair or unfair, it is Mills' job now and he seems to be what the Bears have been looking for on the right side. Mills appears stronger, more flexible and more willing to learn. He was a steal for the Bears in the fifth round.
The perception of Webb is not reality. He has value and potential, he just needs the right person and situation to light a fire under his back side.
Webb isn't nearly the bust many fans seem to think he is. In fact, he has undoubtedly outplayed his draft position with 44 career starts. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Free agent acquisition Jermon Bushrod replaced Webb as the Bears starting left tackle
There's little argument that the Bears' offensive line needed better play from every position, Webb graded out as their best offensive lineman on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2012. That might be like being the prettiest girl in Green Bay, it's a clear indication that he wasn't their biggest issue on the line.
When the Bears spent big money on Jermon Bushrod to take over at left tackle, it came with controversy. Pro Football Focus graded Bushrod just slightly higher than Webb last year. While they were met with backlash—mostly from those who don't understand what they do—they weren't the only ones who felt that way.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Webb as the 28th best left tackle in the league, while Bushrod was 25th.
It's worth noting that Webb is also three years younger, yet the Bears still chose to spend big money for a slight upgrade in pass protection.
That said, there are—and have always been—questions about Webb's desire. Still, teams are usually willing to take risks on players with talent, thinking they can get the most out of them.Should the Bears try to trade J'Marcus Webb?
Yes No Submit Vote vote to see results

Should the Bears try to trade J'Marcus Webb?

Yes
87.3%

No
12.7%
Total votes: 2,751

There are many teams—say the Oakland Raiders, for example—who could use Webb as their starting left tackle and would almost certainly be willing to give up a late draft pick for him.
Finding a partner for Webb would be easier than it was for Gabe Carimi. Carimi is older than Webb, has had major injury issues, was a worse player on the field and has a contract that guarantees him over one million dollars this year. Webb also can play left tackle, while Carimi is strictly a right tackle or perhaps a tall guard.
The fact that Webb renegotiated his contract would make a deal even easier to pull off. He isn't guaranteed a penny for this year, which means any team trading for him could cut ties with him if it didn't work out. It also means the Bears could keep him as an inexpensive backup and they don't have to trade him.
If general manager Phil Emery could trade Carimi, he should be able to move Webb.
Webb might—and probably does—have a future in the NFL, but it won't be with the Bears. Instead of keeping him on the bench all season then losing him as a free agent or cutting him for nothing, the Bears should try and get something for the young tackle.

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Coordinator

SuperFanDBS Writer

Just figured I'd copy my B/R response over here rather than to re-type it all. Sure I'd vote to trade him too and if Phil can get anything for him then I'll gladly shake his hand and say great job brother, great job your doing here. :p

Andrew as sound as this idea is I think your smoking crack if you think we'll get anything for him in trade. If healthy Carimi still has a ton of upside whereas Webb has none. He's already hit his top and now he's spiraling downward fast especially if we're considering keeping Jonathan Scott, who sucks, over him.

This kid doesn't want to compete for his job and pay the price needed to be even a decently consistent NFL OT let alone a star. He's gotten by on marginal talent for three years because he had an advocate in Mike Tice and was virtually guaranteed a job because we had no alternative. Phil Emery saw that and took care of that little problem and even if Bushrod graded out only marginally better in 2012 over the course of their careers Bushrod has proven to be a dependable pro who seldom makes mistakes whereas Webb is the polar opposite.

Want an example of this? Last Friday he entered the game and in the first series he gets an obvious and totally unnecessary holding call on a 3rd down completion and kills the drive. Where's the stat on how many more times that's happened during his career but he really doesn't care. He pretty much laughs it off as if it's not all that big of a deal. Webb is one of those players whose just good enough to lose with and get your QB maimed or killed.

If you were an NFL GM would you trade for him right now and what would you give to get him?

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Pro-Bowler

DBS Writer

I will never, ever, EVER understand how people can physically WATCH this kid play and think he was worth a damn. J'Marcus Freakin Webb is the perfect example of everything that was wrong with Lovie Smith and his group (Tice and Martz). Let's all remember that Webb was a Mike Tice discovery and he didn't want to go back on what he thought he saw before they drafted him, and THAT was always a part of the problem, poor talent evaluation from everyone that had any input.

Hell, I still recall all the guru talk about Tice, that even I was excited about early on, but the off season when Moon Mullin reported that Tice was going to move Webb to LT after he had SUCKED at RT was the off season that I made up my mind on Tice. I got in so many verbal fights on line about that whole thing and I was a hater. No, I was not a hater, but I do not allow myself to be spoon fed shit from media when I have evidence that I have witnessed with my own damned eyes to the contrary.

Trade him? Oh hell yea, if you can find someone that freakin stupid; unfortunately none of the people that advocated for him in the past HAVE JOBS ANYWHERE. No one wanted them either. More than likely he will be outright cut. Someone may give him a chance again, but I would bet $100 right now that he will be out of the NFL completely by this time next year.

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Coordinator

SuperFanDBS Writer

Yep, with reports about him maybe not making the roster being written almost daily what GM would give up a pick for him if he thought he'd become a FA in another week. IF Scott makes it back and IF Scott wins the Swing OT spot we can offer him up then but I can't see anyone even giving what we got for Carimi for Mc Oaf. He's going into his 4th year in the league and he still doesn't "get it" yet.

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Head Coach

I will never, ever, EVER understand how people can physically WATCH this kid play and think he was worth a damn. J'Marcus Freakin Webb is the perfect example of everything that was wrong with Lovie Smith and his group (Tice and Martz). Let's all remember that Webb was a Mike Tice discovery and he didn't want to go back on what he thought he saw before they drafted him, and THAT was always a part of the problem, poor talent evaluation from everyone that had any input.

Hell, I still recall all the guru talk about Tice, that even I was excited about early on, but the off season when Moon Mullin reported that Tice was going to move Webb to LT after he had SUCKED at RT was the off season that I made up my mind on Tice. I got in so many verbal fights on line about that whole thing and I was a hater. No, I was not a hater, but I do not allow myself to be spoon fed shit from media when I have evidence that I have witnessed with my own damned eyes to the contrary.

Trade him? Oh hell yea, if you can find someone that freakin stupid; unfortunately none of the people that advocated for him in the past HAVE JOBS ANYWHERE. No one wanted them either. More than likely he will be outright cut. Someone may give him a chance again, but I would bet $100 right now that he will be out of the NFL completely by this time next year.

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Last year, he actually did improve his play. It seems he thought he had laurels to rest upon, with his behavior after the 2012 season.

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Coordinator

SuperFanDBS Writer

He improved it against some teams but against others like GB where we really needed big games from him he got eaten alive and somewhat the same with Minny when he faced Jared Allen. He's like a golfer who shoots a 90 by birdying 8 holes and getting triple bogies on the rest. There's just no consistency to him at all.

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Coordinator

SuperFanDBS Writer

I honestly think that unlike Rex, his mental block is simply motivation.

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I do too Henry. We already gave this kid a million dollar bonus for becoming a starter plus his minimum salaries. He had another bonus coming this year if he started at RT and he blew it! That cost him about $700k!!!! Apparently money doesn't motivate him and it sure as hell isn't his pride. Is he just too lacking in intelligence to care about any of it?

Sometimes it sure seems like it.

But the main thrust of this thread wasn't to keep beating this dead horse of an OT but rather to examine Andrew Dannehy's idea that Emery should trade him. And of course my comment is for what!!! Whose gonna give up anything for him that's what I'd like to know. Sure he's young and he's been a 3 year starter but wherever he goes at best he's gonna end up as a backup and you don't give picks for that level of a player with teams releasing guys left and right who may be better.

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